Archive for category: Archive

From late 2023 (estimated it could be sooner or later), as part of the government’s 2019 manifesto, Victims will be able to observe their offender’s parole hearing. This is being trialled in the South West region and not nationally, therefore victims must not be offered this opportunity.

However, I can expect that sensitively managing my engagement with victim(s) to avoid re traumatising by managing expectations and supporting the victim throughout the hearing process will be key elements of my role. I will also work closely with the Victim Representative who will attend the hearing with the victim and support them both by making the application to attend, keeping the victim informed of the process and supporting them to source accommodation and travel to the hearing. In some cases, I may also, very occasionally, be present at hearings along with the Victim Representative, a decision which would be made locally.

I would also be expected to inform the victim of the Parole Board decision, share the summary and apply for reconsideration of decision if requested.

Further information, guidance and support as to how this will be rolled out across England will be available towards the summer.

From June 2022, regions will start to introduce Short Sentence Functions (SSF). These will provide an enhanced, prompt and responsive service to adults, including women, serving short sentences (of ten months or less) to sustain any existing community-based services such as accommodation, engagement with substance misuse services, tenancy agreements and bank accounts.

Community offender managers will manage the case, with support provided by a POM (prison offender manager). (This is applicable to legacy NPS cases only – legacy CRC cases will continue to be managed by the prison until 12 weeks pre-release, until OMiC levels up). My team will play a vital role in supporting the SSF by;

• Working with those on remand, sustaining community ties, where possible, and starting the plan for release. This will ensure a better connection with a hard to reach/engage group with high levels of recidivism.
• Completing identification of immediate resettlement needs – via (Basic Custody Screening Tool) BCST
• Sustaining services already in place – e.g., supporting access to DWP to claim housing benefit, support contacting landlords to inform them that their tenant is in custody and potential release dates, support in contacting substance misuse providers in community to sustain engagement, including those unconvicted.
• Supporting people in prison held out of area to maintain contact with their Probation Practitioner.

If my team is attached to a women’s prison, they will be responsible for delivering short sentence support work for women, and will provide the link between the woman in prison and her Community Offender Manager as well as the Commissioned Resettlement Service provider in her home area.

My Region will implement this enhanced service as and when staffing allows and will liaise with me in the communication of the local model and expectations to my team. Our focus on improving engagement with this cohort, should help to address the above average probability, , of this cohorts likelihood of committing further offences or being recalled. I will need to familiarise myself with the guidance on SSF which is located within the Pre-release guidance document and ensure that my team are familiar with this.

Short sentence Function

From June 2022, regions will start to introduce Short Sentence Functions (SSF). These will provide an enhanced, prompt, and responsive service to adults, including women, serving short sentences (of ten months or less) to sustain any existing community-based services such as accommodation, engagement with substance misuse services, tenancy agreements and bank accounts.

Community Offender managers will manage the case, with support provided by a Prison Offender Manager (POM), (This is applicable to legacy NPS cases only – legacy CRC cases will continue to be managed by the prison until 12 weeks pre-release until OMiC levels up). My team will play a vital role in supporting the SSF by;

• Working with those on remand, sustaining community ties, where possible, and starting the plan for release. This will ensure a better connection with a hard to reach/engage group with high levels of recidivism.
• Completing identification of immediate resettlement needs – via (Basic Custody Screening Tool) BCST
• Sustaining services already in place – e.g., supporting access to DWP to claim housing benefit, support contacting landlords to inform them that their tenant is in custody and potential release dates, support in contacting substance misuse providers in community to sustain engagement, including those unconvicted.
• Supporting people in prison held out of area to maintain contact with their Probation Practitioner.

If I work in a women’s prison, my team will be responsible for delivering short sentence support work for women and will provide the link between the woman in prison and her Community Offender Manager (COM) as well as the Commissioned Resettlement Service provider in her home area.

My Region will implement this enhanced service as and when staffing allows and my line manager will communicate our local model, and how we will be expected to support. My focus on supporting my team, should help to address this cohorts above average probability than the general prison population to commit further offences or be recalled. I can l familiarise myself with the guidance on SSF which is located within the Pre-release guidance document

Between July and September, to assist me in providing immediate pre-release support to enable practitioners and meet the resettlement needs of their Person in Prison, I will have access to the new the resettlement pack, which includes a leaflet for people in prison, and resettlement guidance booklet for my team. If I am in an ‘early adopter’ region of Wales, South Central, West Midlands, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber, I will have had access to these since January 2022.

The Booklet is primarily a resource tool for my team and can be used during interviews with their person in prison. It includes advice and tips on how we support practitioners and people in prison, when planning for their release. The information provided in the leaflet represents some of the support services available to everyone in the community.

Developed with people with lived experience, the leaflet and guidance booklet focus on promoting self-learning, engagement in purposeful activity and support my team in delivering pre-release activity. They are designed to be a national resource and we should use them to supplement rather than replace existing regional or local products. My team should aim to ensure that everyone leaves prison with a leaflet.

I have access to a guidance document which will explain how to place an order for both documents, available to convicted and unconvicted people in prison. I will need to ensure the leaflets are placed in prison libraries and reception. Printed versions of the leaflet and guidance booklet can be ordered on the PSPI Storefront. Please speak to the prison stores manager or administration lead with access to Storefront, who will be able to order the leaflet and booklet for you.  http://pspistore.com

Use code OPS_BF050 for the leaflet (available mid-November 2022)

Use code OPS_BFO51 for the guidance document (available mid-December 2022)

Digital PDF will be made available on EQUP and on Gov.UK, using the title resettlement/pre-release leaflet and guidance booklet

As a line manager, I am aware of the different purposes and outcomes of CBF, performance management and reflective practice. I know where to go to get guidance and support on each and understand my responsibilities throughout the year. There will be an ongoing series of events for line managers around CBF to support me, in addition to resources available via MyHub. I know how to access these and will use them to ensure I am ready for opening and closing conversations with my team, and for agreeing their competence examples and eligibility throughout the year. I will need to ensure my team are fully aware of how the three-year deal impacts their pay and know what they need to do to pay progress through CBF each year they are eligible.

I can use the following resources to understand how the pay deal applies to me, and my staff, across the three-year period:

• Pay deal FAQs
• Staff pay journeys
• Pay calculator
• Market forces supplements FAQs
• Collective agreement

If I believe that my pay or salary is incorrect after using these resources, I can raise my query directly with SSCL by emailing MoJ-hr-enquiries@gov.sscl.com or call on 0345 241 5351 on Mondays to Fridays between 8am and 6pm. I can also signpost to my staff to do the same if they believe their pay or salary is incorrect.

Probation Service pay offer 2022 to 2025 (sharepoint.com)

Between July and September, to assist me in providing immediate pre-release support and meet the resettlement needs of my Person in Prison, I will have access to the new the resettlement Pack which includes a leaflet for people in prison, and a resettlement guidance booklet for my team. If I am in an ‘early adopter’ region of Wales, South Central, West Midlands, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber, my team will have had access to these since January 2022.

Developed with people with lived experience the leaflet and guidance booklet focus on promoting self-learning, engagement in purposeful activity and will support my team in delivering pre-release activity. The resettlement leaflet and guidance booklet are designed to be a national resource and my team should use them to supplement, rather than replace existing regional or local products.

To better understand the purpose of the resettlement leaflet and resettlement guidance booklet, who they are designed for and when to use them,  my team have access to a guidance document. They should aim to ensure that every person who leaves prison will have access to a leaflet, with the booklet used as a resource tool. It is my team’s responsibility to ensure the leaflet is available in prison libraries and receptions

Staff will need to order copies for their team and can access information on how to do that here Resettlement guidance – Welcome Hub (hmppsintranet.org.uk)